Improvement in steam and vapor generators



2 Sheet s Sheet 1.

R. BBERETUN.

Steam and Vapo'r-Genera tors. N9. 145,086. Patented Dec.2,1873.

Inventor.

Per 7 norneys.

2Sheets--Sheet2. B.BRERETON.

Steam and Vapor-Generators.

No. 145,086. 7 Patented Dec. 2,1873.

- eyui e e A f\ a F Witnesses I Inventor.

V 'iet i A t 5% s ass/z. em

Attorneys.

AM H1070 ill/106M MIL Ca 44 X Ivsamu: s m 0055/ UNITED STATES- PATENT ()rrron.

RICHARD BRERETON, OF EASTON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO BENJAMIN DOUGLASS, OF MONTROSE, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT lN STEAM AND VAPOR GENERATORS:

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 145,086, dated December 2,1873; application filed September 13, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD BRERETON, of Easton, in the county of Northampton and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Steam and Vapor Generators, of which the following is a specification:

My invention relates to the instantaneous development of steam or vapor from fluid substances by application of the substances to highly-heated surfaces in expanders. The essential feature of the invention is a series of hollow spherical balls or expanders, with a feed-pipe and jet-bulb to each, so arranged that each receives its due measure of feed in such small quantity that the force of the instantaneous expansion is controlled by the balls, and the vapor produced is sent therefrom, along with thatfrom the other balls, to the pipe which conducts it to the engine, in such manner that there is no accumulation anywhere larger than the conducting-passage, so that the great pressure attainable by the direct contact of the fluid with the red-hot metal can be controlled as it could not be in large chambers affording any considerable accumulation. Another important feature of the invention is an arrangement of the expansion-balls in the furnace so as to be directly surrounded by the fire, to bring the fluid into the most direct contact with the highest heat of the fire, whereby a great'economy of heat is effected over the ordinary way of arranging the heating surface above and beyond thefire, because thehigher the heat is the faster it passes through the conducting substance; thus it not only passes quicker to the fluid, but, because of passing quicker, less surface is required for conducting a given quantity. In the common arrangement the heat must, of necessity, fall many degrees before it arrives at the conducting-surface, 'so that a corresponding increase of heating-surface isrequired. The economy in area of heating-surface which I thus secure, together with the economy due to the instantaneous expansion of the fluid by direct contact with a hot surface, enables me to produce a given quantity of power with very much smaller generatingsurface than that required by the ordinary process; but there is another economy resulting from this arrangement in the burning of the fuel, which, in consequence of the direct contact of the heat, can be very slow, and yet have the heat much greater at the point of application to the conducting-surface than in the ordinary way, and thus all the advantage of economy by slow combustion is obtained, whereas the common process requires rapid and wasteful combustion. Another essential advantage of the system is a large economy of space on account of having no large body of water in the generator, as in the common system. -Anotheradvantage is in the facility it affords of regulating the amount of power produced and gaging it to any predetermined point by regulating the quantity of feed admitted, or stopping the production altogether by shutting off the feed, so that, in case the engine stops, there is no further production till wanted again, when the production may be instantly reestablished by letting on the feed. There is no dangerous accumulation of power while stopping, and there is no danger of material damage from explosion at any time, because, if any part gives way, the quantity of steam or vapor escaping is so small that its force is not very destructive.

- In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the generator and asectionalelevation of an air-cushion'device to be used in connection with the feed. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional elevation of the generator. Fig. 3is a horizontal section of the generator. Fig. 4" is an enlarged detail section of one of the hollow expanders; and Fig. 5 is a section of a half-ball expander which I employ on the sides of the furnace; it also shows a section of a portion of the shell of the furnace; also, the connection of said ball with the shell; also, the connection of the series of half-balls, and also the feed-connection.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The form of the shell of the generator, as represented in the drawings, is not particularly essential, although it possesses some advantages that may make it preferable in some cases; yet I contemplate other forms. For instance, it is well adapted to the cylindrical form, either vertical or horizontal. A represents the shell, which is double-walled to form a water-space, B, for surrounding the firechamber 0, to intercept the radiating heat as much as possible. D is a pipe or dome upon the top, into which the products of combustion pass to enter the escape-flue E. I is the firegrate; G, the ashchamber below 5 H, doors to ash-chamber; A, a damper in the smoke-flue. I represents the hollow spherical ball-expanders for the interior portion of the fire-chamber, and J the half-ball expanders for the sides. K is the main feed or water pipe. L is a large powerful air-cushion apparatus, through which the feed-water passes. M is a coil in the dome,

into which the main feed-pipe discharges. N

is a connection of the coil M with the jacketchamber B, to conduct the feed-water into said chamber; 0, feed-pipes, conducting the feedwater from the jacket-chamber B into the expan ders I; P, a pipe receiving the water from the jacket and delivering it to the branches 0 through a regulating-cock. Q, represents the feed-pipes for conducting the water from the jacket-chamber B to the half-ball expanders J 5 It, the regulating-cock to control the feed. These feed-pipes Q, and the regulating-cock are duplicated on the other side of the generator for the half-ball expanders of the other side, also on the front and back but in this example they are not represented on the front.

In practice it would be preferable to have the feed-pipes Q and 0 proceed from one source, so as to use only one cock for regulating all the .jets, and the feed-pipes may also be arranged within the jacket to avoid exposure to the atmosphere, so that considerable heat will be used.

It will be observed that the feed-water passes first into the coil M, where it is first raised by the escaping heat to about two hundred and sixty degrees; then it passes into the jacket chamber, where it is further heated to about five or six hundred degrees; and then it passes into the expanders, where it is heated to about fifteen hundred degrees and developed in vapor. From the expanders it proceeds to the engine under any predetermined pressure, which is governed by the quantity of fiuid let in at the feed-regulating cocks.

-The expanders I are connected together by thimbles a, screwed into the hollow screwthreaded bosses b, and the rows of expanders are connected together, as at d, e, and f, Fig. 3, or in any equivalent way, so that the vapor will be conducted to one passage common to all, say g, and connecting with the pipe to the engine. The half-expanders are similarly connected together, by thimbles and bosses, as at b, and the several rows are also connected together and to the passage 2. h, i, j, k, andl represent the nest of feed-pipes for one row of expanders I, and m the perforated jet-ball in each expander, in which the feed-pipe terminates. These pipes are connected, at the front end of the row of expanders which they feed, with a perforated cone, n, inside of a hood, p, to which the feed-pipe is connected at 1, so that each receives an equal proportion of the feedwater through holes 1" and s, which are suitably proportioned for the purpose. At the perforated jet-bulbs m the feed is broken up into fine jets as it issues into the red-hot expanders, so that the development of vapor is instantaneous. I through the pipe Q, extending through a hollow bolt, b, passing through a thim ble, 0, which extends through the side of the boiler, and projects a little at d into the hollow boss 61 on the side of the expander, which keeps it a certain distance from the side wall of the furnace, so that the fire will act upon that side of the expander, and upon the furnace side. The bolt 1) screws the boss (1 of the expander firmly against the furnace-wall, and binds the head of the thimble against the outside wall. It is desirable that the expanders be held out sufiiciently from the furnace-wall for the action of the heat between them, as stated.

The coal is to be fed into the fire from the top through a couple of feed-holes, D, one on each side of the dome, upon and around the expanders to the top, if desired, or to any extent that may be required by the work in hand. The rate of combustion will be regulated by the draft let in at the bottom.

When the water-jets are let into the red-hot expanders, the expansion is so sudden that the pressure instantaneously established reacts too powerfully upon the feed-pump to be resisted by the ordinary pump-cushion, which is only used to relieve the shocks due to the ch nges of the pump-piston. Therefore, and, besides, as it is important that the jets by which the feed is delivered into the expanders be as steady as possible, I employ a powerful compressed-air cushion in the large chamber in addition to the pump-cushion, to regulate them and compensate for the shocks that occur when the jets are let in.

In order to obtain the necessary volume of air to afl'ord ample range of the cushion under great tension, I condense the air in chamber L by a pump.

The apparatus is adapted for use of other fluids than water for producing vapor, as air alone, or in combination with water, or a 001m bin aticn of alcohol, petroleum, &c., with water alone, or with both water and air.

When air is used in combination with liquids, the same may be forced into the expanders through a suitable pipe-connection at E, from which point it will pass along the line of the expanders and mingle with the vapor of the other substances injected into the other expanders without the aid of the special feedpipes and jet-balls. When air alone is used it will be forced into and ejected from the feedpipes as water is.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A series of hollow imperforate expanders connected together, and a series of jet-balls combined therewith, the same being, respectively, connccted with the feed or supply pipe and the conducting-pipe leading to the engine,

The half-expanders g receive the feed -manner described, of an air-cushion, L, independent of the pump-cushions, and interposed between the pump and generator.

4.. The series of pipes arranged to form the cone n, having perforations r s, in combination with a chamber, 10, of the supply-pipe, as shown and described.

5. The combination of half-ball expanders J with the sides of the furnace, substantially as specified.

- 6. The said half-ball expanders attached'to the sides of the furnace, so as to project and allow the heat to act between them and the furnace-walls, substantially as specified.

7. The connection of the half-ball expanders by the tube a, hollow bolt b, and boss d substantially as specified.

8. The arrangement of the branched feedpipes O and Q and regulating-cock with the expanders, so as to feed each row of expanders and regulate the amount of the feed to the pressure required, substantially as specified.

9. The arrangement of the main feed-pipe K, coil M, connection N, jacket-chamber B, feed-pipes O and Q, and the expanders in the order described, to apply the feed in the said order.

RICHARD BRERETON.

Witnesses T. B. MOSHER, ALEX. F. ROBERTS. 

